Recently, lithium batteries which can be quickly charged within a relatively short period of time and which have a relatively long discharge period have been widely employed as power sources, e.g., in electronic cameras.
Lithium batteries have not, however, been used to the exclusion of conventional alkaline-manganese batteries, which are still widely used in a variety of applications including use in electronic cameras. Under these circumstances, in which different types of batteries are now being employed, it has become desirable to provide electronic cameras with a battery receptacle which is adapted to utilize either lithium batteries or alkaline-manganese batteries in a simple and efficient matter.
It is not believed, however, that a battery receptacle which is adapted for such dual usage in cameras has yet been developed. The basic reason for this failure to develop such a battery receptacle is that a lithium battery is generally shorter in height than an alkaline-manganese battery, and has both positive and negative terminals on a single end face; whereas, conventional alkaline-manganese batteries each have a positive terminal on one end face and a negative terminal located along an opposite end face thereof.